Florida bite reporting.

The five-second answer: Florida requires reporting animal bites to the county health department under Chapter 64D-3 F.A.C. Dangerous-dog classifications run under Fla. Stat. §767. Dogs and cats observed for 10 days. AnimalShelterIQ runs the report, the clock, and the §767 hearing-ready packet for animal services.

1. The statutory framework

• Fla. Stat. §767.10–§767.16 — Damage by Dogs; the Dangerous Dog Act
• Fla. Stat. §381.0011, §381.0012 — Department of Health authority; reportable conditions
• Chapter 64D-3 F.A.C. — reportable diseases and rabies-suspect animal management
• Fla. Stat. §828.27 — local ordinance authority for animal control
• Local county ordinance — Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, and Pinellas counties have substantial local programs

2. Who must report

• Treating physician, veterinarian, or other licensed health professional
• Animal control officers and shelter staff
• Owner of the biting animal (county ordinance)
• Hospital emergency department intake

3. The 10-day observation clock

Florida follows the standard 10-day rabies observation for dogs and cats that bite humans, per Chapter 64D-3 F.A.C. and the National Compendium. Observation may occur at the owner's home, at animal services, or at a veterinary clinic. If the animal develops signs of rabies, it is euthanized and tested at a state-approved lab.

4. The Dangerous Dog Act — §767

Florida has a structured classification process under §767.12:

1. Investigation: animal control conducts a written sworn investigation within seven business days of receiving a bite report
2. Classification: animal services may classify a dog as "dangerous" if it has aggressively bitten / attacked / endangered a person, severely injured/killed another animal off-property, or repeatedly chased/menaced people
3. Owner notice: by registered mail within seven days of classification
4. Hearing: owner may request a hearing within seven business days; held within 21 days; final agency order subject to court review
5. Confinement: registration, secure enclosure, "Dangerous Dog" sign, mandatory liability insurance ($100,000)
6. Destruction order: permitted under §767.13 for serious unprovoked attacks causing severe injury or death

5. What the bite report must contain

• Victim: name, age, sex, contact, treating provider, body location, severity
• Animal: species, breed, sex, age, weight, color, vaccination status (rabies certificate & expiration)
• Owner: name, address, phone (or "stray / unknown")
• Incident: date, time, location, narrative, provoked / unprovoked
• Quarantine location, observation start & end dates
• Prior incidents at the address or with the same dog

6. Notification chain

1. Treating provider / hospital → county health department
2. Animal control → county health department for quarantine coordination
3. County health department → Florida Department of Health on rabies-positive results
4. Animal control → circuit court for §767.13 destruction orders

7. How AnimalShelterIQ handles Florida

• Voice-to-form drafting: officer dictates the narrative; AI populates the county bite-report form (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough variants ship in the box)
• 10-day quarantine: auto-started on bite date; vet release prompt on day 10
• §767 investigation timer: seven-business-day clock automatically tracked; investigation completion gated by the platform; classification packet generated
• Hearing packet: prior incidents, witness affidavits, vaccination history, and severity grading compiled into a §767.12 hearing-ready PDF
• Dangerous-dog registry: classified dogs flagged; insurance certificate uploads tracked; enclosure inspection scheduled
• County health department routing: per-county DOH contact directory; report queued for transmission

8. Common pitfalls we automate around

• The §767.12 investigation must be sworn — we capture the officer's affirmation electronically
• Owner notice must be registered mail; the platform generates the mailing piece and tracks USPS confirmation
• The 7-day hearing-request window starts on owner receipt, not on classification — we track both
• Repeat-offender provisions under §767.13 require a documented prior-classification record; the platform retains the full chain of custody

9. References

• Fla. Stat. §767 (Damage by Dogs; Dangerous Dog Act)
• Fla. Stat. §381.0011–§381.0012
• Chapter 64D-3 F.A.C. (Florida Department of Health rules)
• Fla. Stat. §828 (animal-cruelty & local-ordinance authority)
• NASPHV Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control

This guide summarizes the regulatory framework as of the review date above. County health department procedures and animal services ordinances vary. We work with your county DOH and animal services director to confirm requirements before go-live.